The first couple days were lively to say the least and not without their moments, but in truth...most of this large band of marauding misfits kinda settled into the
'house set in the woods on a river and nothing more frenetic than a cricket fight shall be had,' mode.
I for one was and would forever be GRATEFUL AS FUCK.
Perhaps after spending time with Antonio...EVERYONE was trashed, wasted and in fervent need of a nap...in other words tired as hell. LOL.
The 2nd morning after the arrivals arrived, Antonio caught me in the kitchen by myself, normally not a good thing, but this time...
"Dylan?"
"Yes Varmit #2."
"Don't worry. We will not stay long. Maybe another day or two. I just wanted to make sure you and your love-toy boy (oh wait until I tell Rico about that one) would be ok. We all love you you know," and I blushed methinks. That was not necessarily characteristic of Antonio although we all know we are loved in this menagerie.
"I know, Antonio. I appreciate."
"You know what else?"
"Should I be afraid to ask?"
"Uh, NO." LOL.
"Ok, now that I have seen this place I think it's fantastic, and I also think you should buy it. God knows you can afford it and if you can't I can. Perfect get-away, you know? You get a bit tired, just toddle up here and chill out, you know?"
I had been so busy and after all. We had just gotten up here really but I hadn't really thought about it, until now. Now that he had brought it up and just as Rico had walked into the kitchen, it seemed like maybe that wasn't really such a bad idea. It is beautiful here, and peaceful. Ok, maybe not exactly peaceful...lol, where is my rifle? LOL.
"Honey, that is what I been thinking. We could you know." Rico wrapped himself around me and stood there grinning, and yet...serious too.
"It's just far enough away from the madness to be a great get away and not so far away as to be too remote to do as much as we might want or need to."
He stood with his arms around me, grinning...and I felt like a kid in ye olde candy store, covered with cotton- candy fuzz all over my face and loving it.
I looked at my favorite hoodlum and then I shushed into him even tighter and held on for dear life.
Sometimes there just isn't anything better in life than a THUG HUG. LOL.
Lunch came and burped and then somebody inquired about the countryside up here and someone else ventured a guess that there was one really good way to find out, and...
SIGH!
Two o'clock found us in a caravan of sorts meandering around the countryside mostly to the North towards Cadillac with no particular destination in mind...and of course Rico and I had no more clue than any of the rest of them about what this area was like...and it is a pretty part of the state, and the country to be sure. In between Mecosta County where the house is and Wexford County to the north where Cadillac is is Osceola county and Reed City, that county's county seat. We did walk around a bit there, but not that much to see...and we wanted to keep exploring.
There was a village here and there and then eventually we found ourselves in Big Rapids which sits along US 131, a bit south of where the house is and home of Ferris State University and several dogs and a couple of kitties, and not much else. LOL. (Oh I shall get mail on that one).
About 5:30 we ran across a Ruby Tuesday's restaurant and hunger being what it is...we succumbed to the urges and they seemed happy to see us silly fools that they be. It was still early for dinner so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. Course we usually do since as rowdy as we are everyone else usually leaves pretty quickly when we show up. LOL.
They had a reasonably good salad bar although not up to the standards we are used to with Billy Ray and Rose...but more than passable. Good menu and generous portions too. We were gonna burp big time I decided and I was right.
Course Rico cleaned out the kitchen as he is usually wont to do, and then we decided we better skedaddle home which we did.
The evening was spent with some of us watching tv and others out on the deck enjoying the new sport of water watching and cricket listening. chipmunk and squirrel watching too. SO much fun.
Rose and Billy Ray were on their cell phones checking on things back home...and so were Ofelia and Tess and Frankie. Rico and I tried to be convivial but by eight o'clock we were yawning and stretching and knowing our bed was beckoning and so we bid adieus for the night and wandered upstairs. My attitude is guests are guests for about twenty minutes, then they become family and can fend for themselves or starve. Hahaha.
"I wonder how long they gonna stay, Bearski," he ventured as we slithered into bed...and I told him Antonio had told me not long, which seemed to amuse Rico no end...ah, he knows Antonio so well. I laugh here.
"Whatcha wanna bet he buys the entire county and sets up shop next door?" New mall and bookstore and everything, Bearski. Twelve thousand new houses at least. All big and piled on top of us."
"HUSH, don't even think that," I laughed...but knew that that was probably exactly what was gonna happen. OH GOD NO. Then we snuggled and fell sound asleep, the sleep of the pure and innocent. Yeh, right.
The next morning, our third up here...or fourth or close enough found Rico and I with me in his lap at the breakfast table surrounded by Antonio, Rose, Feelie, Billy Ray, Jake, Kenny, Frankie and Tess, Bren and Tom and Teddy, Johnny and J.R. not to mention the entire population of Eurasia. The dazzling chef duo had conjured up a wondrous feast and if there was none left after we got done so be it.
"Dylan?"
"Yes my lovely?"
"Billy Ray and I are gonna have to get back pretty quick, and probably Feelie too. Whatcha think?"
"I think that would be absolutely dreadful. Can I help you pack?"
We both snorted and I hoped Antonio would get the hint but with him one never knows. He might and then again...
"You got everything covered at home?" I asked Rose.
"Yep. Pretty much. We are lucky to have a crackerjack staff and management team."
"Then, my precious, what is the hurry?"
The minute I said that I looked at Antonio. THAT he heard. I saw the smile, actually more of an evil grin, and winced.
Sometimes I wonder if my brain doesn't short-circuit from time to time.
Rose looked at her brother and he looked back
"Well? Whatcha think?"
"It is nice up here Rose, and we haven't had a break in I cannot remember when."
"You got that sweetie."
and she looked at me.
"Except for them dead bodies you keep finding, Dylan."
"ME?"
I smiled.
"Feelie?"
"I'm all set here foah right now. Cain't stay forever, but if we could squeeze out anothah week or two...I foah one am all foah it, if'n it's all raht with Dylan and Rico."
I looked at her. "Of course it is, silly."
"Silly indeed," she grinned.
So that plan emerged unscathed but I wondered about the rest of our guests and at lunch I found out that most of them were headed back at the end of the week. Good enough.
Btw, mid-morning Antonio asked who our landlord was, I told him the realtors name and the next thing I knew...he got ahold of him and FUCKING BOUGHT THIS PLACE FOR RICO AND ME.
GEEZ.
Guess I like it whether I do or not. LOL. I do of course, love it...almost as much as the place in Missouri although this house and the river it sits on are both considerably smaller and far more remote...but that is just fine with me. That of course was and still is
THE POINT of being here.
Truth is I KNEW Rico and I both love it here and did right off the bat. Even that first day...I knew and he concurred that we were gonna settle in here and be happy as two gleefully happy-as-pigs-in-slop dudes totally in love with each other can be. GOD how lucky I is. Rico, the house and bookstore down in Missouri and now this place up here? It just don't get no better, and if I had Rico and nothing else, I would still be happy as hell. Tar paper shack fine by me. Rico just makes it all worth while. As long as I get to go around once WITH RICO, once is just fine.
"Dylan?"
"Yes?"
"When are you and Rico going to get married."
"Uh....um...uh...married?"
This was of course from Antonio, matchmaker extraordinaire ala goobers.
"I don't know. We haven't talked about that much. We are happy as we is, Antonio."
"I know you are which is why I asked? You two are SO much in love and it is SOOO obvious. YOU NEED TO BE HITCHED. OFFICIAL LIKE. Don't let him get away, Bear. Dudes like Rico don't come along very often...and he is about as good as it gets, doncha think?"
"I have NO INTENTION of turning him loose, mistah varmit #2 and yes of course he is."
"Good." AND, while I should have figured out that that was NOT going to be the end of that conversation SILLY ME...actually I DID think just that.
WHY AM I SUCH A DENSE DOOFUS SOMETIMES.
Bear=klutz, I guess.
What I also know is that when Antonio gets a bee in his bonnet, SOMEBUDDY IS gonna get stung.
EEEEK!
Must tell you sometime about the end of that conversation, or...well...lol. Yeh, it definitely did not end there.
CHAPTER VI: BEYOND THE PEACE OF QUIET
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